The source of the kneeling young men

The Fountain of the Kneeling Youths is one of the most beautiful fountains in the city. It was created by Georges Minne, one of the artists of the first Latem school.

With this sculpture, Minne aimed to symbolize youth. The official name of this sculpture is 'The Fountain of the Kneeling Youths', but no one in Ghent uses that name as it is much too long and complicated.

Here, people prefer to talk about the 'pietjesbak'. A name that refers to the small 'pietjes', but also to the shape of the basin, which
resembles the 'pietjesbak', the well-known dice game.

Because the people of Ghent did not want to fall behind cities like Brussels, where you have to rub statues to fall in love or to become pregnant (like the statue of 't Serclaes on the Grand Place), you can also rub here. Stroke the feet of the youths if you want to stay forever young...

Vizit